1.14Question 3

Prompt: What is the difference between Level 3 (Strategic Testing) and Level 4 (Predictive Quality Engineering), and how would you move a team from 3 to 4? What a strong answer should cover:

• Level 3 is reactive-strategic (strategy exists, metrics inform retrospective decisions)
• Level 4 is predictive (leading indicators warn before damage, historical data calibrates estimates)
• The transition requires investment in trend analysis, forecasting, and data infrastructure Example answer:
• At Level 3, you have a strategy and you track defect escape rate, but you only learn about problems after they happen. At Level 4, you track leading indicators -- code review coverage, requirement clarity, automation growth rate -- that predict quality problems before they manifest. Moving from 3 to 4 requires building historical data over several quarters, then using that data to forecast release readiness and calibrate test effort estimates. It is a 6-12 month transition that requires sustained investment in data collection and analysis.